Michigan
Penn State
Zondervan Clinches Comeback Win Over No. 14 Penn State
2/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
U-M Result: #16 Michigan 195.800, #14Penn State 194.925
Records: U-M (12-2, 4-0 Big Ten),Penn State (5-3, 1-2 Big Ten)
Next U-M Meet: Friday, Feb.20 --at Utah(Huntsman Center), 7 p.m. MST
Complete Results | Notes & Quotes | Photo Gallery | Video Report
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- In the final routine of the night with 4,000 eyes on her, a 21-win Big Ten streak at stake and a memorable comeback 90 seconds from completion, sophomore Taylor Zondervan(Schoolcraft, Mich./Schoolcraft) scored a 9.825 in her first collegiate floor exercise routine, capping a comeback win for the No. 16-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team over No. 14 Penn State on Friday night (Feb. 13) at Crisler Arena. Zondervan's feat gave the Wolverines a 195.800-194.925 victory over the Nittany Lions, erasing a 0.175 U-M deficit heading into the final rotation and extending Michigan's Big Ten win streak to 22. The meet was broadcast by the Big Ten Network and will air on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 4 p.m.
With U-M down in the final rotation, both teams suffered falls inits second performance, putting added pressure on the final four competitors on each side. U-M junior all-arounder Sarah Curtis(Reno, Nev./Reno) steadied the ship with a 9.750 against Penn State's 9.775 in the third routine on beam, followed by a 9.875 from senior Tatjana Thuener-Rego(Miami, Fla./American School) in the four-spot. Penn State all-around star Brandi Personett stepped in for the Lions' fourth routine but suffered a rare fall, her first of the year, opening the door for a Wolverine win, provided they remain on their feet for the final two floor performances. Sophomore Kylee Botterman(New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) did U-M one better, tying a career high with a 9.900, setting the table for Zondervan and her first collegiate floor routine.
With Penn State done performing, all eyes turned to Zondervan on the floor. She executed her routine fluidly, scoring well on a two-and-a-half twist punch front and rudi with the crowd noise building with each tumbling pass. She finished with a strong double twist and ran into the arms of her teammates, clinching a 9.825 and the Wolverine win.
Botterman took the all-around crown with a career-best 39.325, winning the floor title and sharing the balance beam crown with junior teammate Jordan Sexton(Weddington, N.C./Weddington) with a 9.875. Thuener-Rego took runner-up on vault (9.800) and the uneven bars (9.825) and finished third on floor (9.875) and fourth in the all-around (38.825).
Michigan suffered a blow before the meet even began with a late scratch in the vault lineup, forcing head coach Bev Plocki and her staff to shuffle the order yet again. With only four vaults with a 10.0 start value, Michigan managed a 48.650 with 9.800s from Botterman and Thuener-Rego, who shared runner-up honors. Meanwhile on bars, Penn State put up its second-best score of the season with a 48.975, taking the early lead.
U-M put up a respectable score on bars with a 48.975, which Penn State matched on vault, keeping the Wolverine deficit at 0.325. Thuener-Rego led Michigan with a 9.825 in the fourth performance, good for runner-up honors on the night, while a trio of Wolverines led by senior Becky Bernard(Stow, Ohio/Stow-Munroe Falls), Curtis and junior Maureen Moody(East Lansing, Mich./East Lansing) scored 9.800.
The Wolverines closed the deficit after the strongest beam rotation of the season, pulling within 0.175 points of the Nittany Lions with a 49.025. Sexton and Botterman earned the highest beam scores of 2008-09 for the Wolverines with matching 9.875s, each recording career highs in the process. Bernard anchored the rotation with a season-best 9.800 to put Michigan in position to catch PSU, which had not had a beam score better than 48.825 all season.
U-M completed its comeback in the final rotation, scoring a 49.150 on floor, while Penn State counted a fall on beam to total 48.100. Even without the Penn State falls, Michigan would likely have passed the Nittany Lions on the power of a career-best tying 9.900 from Botterman and a 9.875 from Thuener-Rego. The highlight performance may have been Zondervan, who scored a 9.825 in her first collegiate floor routine.
The Wolverines will hit the road for the first time in February when they take on current No. 1-ranked Utah on Friday (Feb. 20) at 7 p.m. MST at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The last time Michigan faced theNo. 1team in the land they came out victorious, defeating No. 1 Georgia in a dual meet in Ann Arbor on March 7, 2008.
Team Standings
| Team Scores | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | Total |
| 1. MICHIGAN | 48.650 | 48.975 | 49.025 | 49.150 | 195.800 |
| 2. Iowa State | 48.975 | 48.975 | 48.100 | 48.875 | 194.925 |
Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores
VAULT Huneth Lor 9.750 Sarah Curtis 9.775 Tatjana Thuener-Rego 9.800 (t2) Kylee Botterman 9.800 (t2) Taylor Zondervan 9.525
(Michigan did not compete a sixth vault) UNEVEN BARS Maureen Moody 9.800 (t4) Kylee Botterman 9.750 Sarah Curtis 9.800 (t4) Tatjana Thuener-Rego 9.825 (t2) Becky Bernard 9.800 (t4) Trish Wilson 9.325 BALANCE BEAM Huneth Lor 9.750 Jordan Sexton 9.875 (t1) Tatjana Thuener-Rego 9.325 Kylee Botterman 9.875 (t1) Sarah Curtis 9.725 Becky Bernard 9.800 (4) FLOOR EXERCISE Huneth Lor 9.800 (t5) Jordan Sexton 8.900 Sarah Curtis 9.750 Tatjana Thuener-Rego 9.875 (3) Kylee Botterman 9.900 (t1) Taylor Zondervan 9.825 (4) ALL-AROUND Kylee Botterman 39.325 (1) Sarah Curtis 39.050 (2) Tatjana Thuener-Rego 38.825 (4)
N O T E S
Michigan extended its Big Ten win streak to 22 opponents with the win over Penn State. The Wolverines have not lost to a Big Ten school since 2007 when U-M fell to Penn State in a dual meet at Crisler Arena.
Michigan also remained unbeaten when appearing on the Big Ten Network, pushing it's record to a flawless 13-0 in seven meets on the BTN. This meet will air on Saturday (Feb. 21) at 4 p.m.
Junior Jordan Sexton tied a career high on beam with a 9.875, winning her first beam title of the season and the second of her career. Her highest score thisseason was a 9.825 two weeks ago vs. Iowa State.
Sophomore Kylee Botterman had a career high on beam with a 9.875, bettering a pair of 9.825 scores she earned earlier in the year. Her performance was good for a share of the event crown, giving Botterman her second consecutive title on the event.
Botterman also won the floor competition with a 9.900, tying a career high and claiming her fourth title on the event in 2009 and her eighth career crown on floor.
For good measure, Botterman won the all-around competition with a career-best 39.325, winning her second title in the all-around this season.
Sexton and Botterman's 9.875 scores on beam were Wolverine highs this season, while Botterman's 9.900 on floor equaled the team's season high.
Michigan scored a season-high 49.025 on beam, eclipsing the old high of 48.750 set at the State of Michigan Classic.
Q U O T E S
U-MJunior All-Arounder Sarah Curtis
On the rivalry with Penn State... "We have a rivalry with Penn State to begin with so it's one of those times when we get to go against someone special rather than just another home meet. Brandi Personett is very good and she had an off night, but Kylee (Botterman) is amazing and it comes down to who does what on a particular day. We're proud of ourselves because we hit in the all-around, but Brandi had a good night as well."
On Penn State's struggles at the end of the meet... "We don't pay attention to the other team and it's not something we're conscious of. Obviously you have to keep in mind what they are doing to some degree, but we don't necessarily care what they're doing. We can only control what we do."
On Michigan's strong finish... "We have a strong floor lineup and we had a lot of energy tonight. We pulled together on the last event and pulled it out in the end. That's why we train so hard."
U-MSophomore All-Arounder Kylee Botterman
On Michigan's floor routine... "During the week we do at least three events every day. Floor has been our most consistent event this year and we knew we were neck and neck heading into the final rotation. Once Jordan (Sexton) fell, Taylor (Zondervan) got a chance to step up and compete and we're all very excited for her. Her routine was great."
On falls and the pressure of the meet... "Six girls go and five of those scores count, so when we counted a fall on floor, everyone had to step it up. It happened on beam and floor tonight and we had each other's backs and it worked out for the best."
On her all-around performance... "It's my highest all-around so far, which is exciting, but I'm more excited that as a team we're stepping it up every weekend. We have some very difficult meets coming up and we want to keep building. I'm glad I can contribute."
On teammate Sarah Curtis' performance... "Sarah (Curtis) had a great night tonight. The judges scored her a little low on beam and floor, but she had a great meet."
Michigan Head Coach Bev Plocki
On the team's win... "We can't do anything more than what we can do. We try and stay focused on our own performance and knew that we might be trailing coming out of vault because we don't have all our athletes healthy. We knew we would have some ground to make up and we did well on bars but didn't stick some dismounts we usually stick. We left some tenths behind there but had our best beam score of the season and closed it out on floor. These are the kind of competitions that we want because it tests your team and prepares them for the championships season. In the championships season, there will be quarter-tenth differences between teams."
On Michigan's big showing on floor... "Floor is a good event for us, but we have only had six athletes working on floor this year. One of our athletes had to step out with a minor injury, so Taylor Zondervan stepped in for the last routine and it was only the second floor routine she's done, period. She got ready to do a floor routine on Tuesday and we didn't think that she would be ready to do a floor routine by Friday. The need came, she got ready and she went out and got a 9.825. We have kids on this team that are stepping up in big ways and contributing where they need to."
Contact: Richard Retyi (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
